My Hero
by KatherineLynn
Summary: Anon asked me to write it for him/her. Caskett getting busted by the paparazzi.


A/N: An anon asked me to write this, so here I go. The request was Caskett getting caught by the paparazzi and having it turn up in a magazine. So...here it goes!

Disclaimer: The anon gave me the plot, Andrew Marlowe created everything else.

"_Lanie, I don't want to do this..." Beckett pulled a scarlet dress out of a box, holding up to robed self, admiring the material. Castle had sent over two dresses for her to choose from, and she was torn. Tonight was the fundraiser for the scholarship in her mother's name, and even though she was happy something was being done to remember her mother's legacy, she couldn't shake the nerves jangling around in her empty stomach._

"_Of course you do, girl. You're just scared about going to another black tie event. Besides, the last one you went to doesn't even count, it was undercover," Lanie, already dressed to the nines in a gorgeous plum gown and black glittering heels, crossed her legs demurely at the ankles and took a sip of water as Beckett stared at the other dress, a tantalizing white. _

"_I like the red," Lanie piped up as Beckett stared at the two dresses in annoyed silence. It was fun to watch her get ready, especially when she had to dress up. She was so uncomfortable when she didn't have her gun holstered at her side and her badge on her person. It was even worse when there was a dress involved. _

_Beckett glanced up upon hearing Lanie's words and grabbed the white dress, stalking off to the bathroom in petulant silence. _

"_I see how it is," Lanie called in after her. "Reverse psychology. I wanted you to pick that one." She rolled her eyes and sipped her water. Beckett responded by throwing her pants at Lanie, who dodged them. _

"_I am doing this for my mother. I am doing this for my mother," Beckett repeated as she slipped into the luxuriously soft material of the white dress. She zipped up the side and marveled at the perfect fit. How Castle managed to guess correctly her dress size...she pushed the idea from her head. _

_She clutched the ring on a chain around her neck, and debated taking it off. She paused, cradling the ring in the palm of her hand and wished her mother were here. It wasn't the first time she had wished it that evening, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. She wished, she hoped she was making her mother proud. Lanie's phone rang and Beckett dropped the ring, letting it fall to her chest, where it settled. _

_She chose to leave it there. _

"_The boys will be here in five, Becks. Get your shoes on!" Lanie called. Beckett stumbled out of the bathroom, holding the hem of the dress up so she wouldn't trip. Lanie held out a pair of white heels by the straps and smiled. _

"_All joking aside, you look fantastic," she said, brushing a stray piece of hair out of Beckett's face. "Now leave your gun here, and let's go." _

_Beckett stared longingly at her holster, sitting on top of her bedside table. "I can't take it?" _

"_No," Lanie placed each hand on Beckett's shoulders and pushed her toward the living room. "Let's go!" _

Beckett smiled at this memory now as she locked eyes with Castle. He smirked and dipped his daughter, beautiful in a pale green gown, low to the floor. Alexis squealed and clung to her dad as he set her upright just as the song ended. The fundraiser was winding down, and Beckett was simultaneously glad it was over and aching to savor every second of the remaining time.

Millions of dollars had been raised in her mother's name. Castle had given a heartwarming speech about Johanna Beckett and Kate had even said a few words on behalf of her family. The mayor had shaken her hand, along with Bono and someone who might have been one of the Jonas Brothers, but she couldn't be sure.

She couldn't keep her eyes off Castle. He had somehow been tipped off of the color of her dress, though Beckett suspected Lanie, and had worn a completely black tux with a pure white tie. He had been friendly and teasing, but not overly so, all night long. He had shielded her from the flashing lights of the paparazzi when they arrived, and had managed to keep her from being nervous during her speech, all by holding her hand.

Castle, it seemed, couldn't keep his eyes off her either. They had made eye contact too many times for it to be a coincidence, though sometimes his eyes weren't on her face. Her white dress had the lowest back of any dress she had ever worn before, and her entire tanned back was exposed. Her hair, wound into Shakespearean curls, shielded her blushing cheeks as their eyes met again.

He beckoned her over and she obliged, trying to look anywhere but at him and managing to fail miserably. "You are the only person who has not danced yet," he observed, holding out his hands.

Beckett stared at them. "I like to people watch," she answered, not moving.

"Come on, Kate. Just one dance with me, I swear I'll behave," he stuck out his bottom lip and before she knew it, her hands were in his. He spun her once and pulled her closer, taking advantage of her momentary lack of balance. They were completely flush against each other, and she felt her cheeks redden when her hair wasn't around to hide it.

"Why Miss Beckett, are you blushing?" he asked coyly, looking down into her green eyes. She rolled her eyes.

"I am certainly not," she scoffed.

"You are," Castle said, squeezing her hand once in a self-satisfied way. "It's okay, if I were female, I would blush too."

Beckett smirked. "If you were female?"

"Yeah, I look pretty ruggedly handsome right now, if I do say so myself."

"Can you not?"

He fell silent and gazed happily at her face, and she felt the corners of her mouth tug upward and returned the grin. "Thank you, Castle, for what you've done."

He waved their joined hands in a sign of nonchalance. "It certainly wasn't a favor, it was something that needed to be done."

She stepped closer, if that were possible, and laid her head on his shoulder. She felt his breathing hitch and he self-consciously lifted the hand that was on her back higher on her skin so she wouldn't think he was trying to feel her up.

"Are you disappointed that Josh isn't here?" Castle asked quietly into her hair.

He felt her tense, and relax. "No," she trailed off. He smiled as he heard what she didn't say. _I'm perfectly happy with you. _

The song slowed to a stop and he pulled away. Beckett's eyes were closed, and she opened them regretfully as she realized the song was ending. She tugged on his hands and pulled him close to her again as a new song began. "Keep dancing," she said. She buried her face in his chest and inhaled his cologne, feeling herself get lighter than air. As they danced, their joined hands lowered and his hand, intent on staying in the middle of her back, fell to the small of her back. He hesitated, then kissed the top of her hair and pressed his forehead to hers as she looked up.

"Have I told you yet that you look absolutely fantastic?" he asked. Her cheeks darkened again, and he smiled. "Because I would be lying."

Her smile faltered.

"I can't find the words to describe how amazing you look. Every word I know doesn't do you justice. You are...a vision. You are..." he paused, and she continued to look up at him. "My inspiration."

She chuckled. "I already knew that," she replied.

"But you inspire so much more than just words," he said. "When I look at you, I feel like I could...fly, or paint a beautiful picture, or cook a five course meal...none of which, mind you, could I really do."

She brushed her lips against his, feather soft, and whispered. "You are my sanctuary, Richard Castle."

The song ended, and a faster one started up. As couples made a beeline for the floor, Castle tugged on Beckett's hand and led her out a side door to the street. They were standing under a street light that felt like a spotlight, and Castle pulled his phone out of his breast pocket and pressed a button.

_Wake up and look me in the eyes again_

_I need to feel your hand upon my face_

He set the phone on the ground and pulled her close to his body once more. They went back to the embrace they were in before and she smiled at the lyrics.

_Words can relay nice, they can cut you open_

_And the silence surrounds you, and haunts you_

_I think I might've inhaled you_

_I can feel you behind my eyes_

_You've gotten into my bloodstream_

_I can feel you flowing in me_

"Castle," Beckett whispered so quietly she was sure he didn't hear her. But he gently lifted his head and she was paralyzed by his eyes again. She freed her hand from his and placed it on his cheek. "Kiss me," she commanded softly.

He smiled and obliged, kissing her sweetly and slowly, pulling her as close as he could, and running his hands down the bare skin of her back. She shivered and tightened her hold around his neck and pulled him toward the wall. She leaned against it and kissed him again, smiling against his lips.

He pulled away and cupped her face, looking suddenly serious. "Wait, wait wait," he said. "What about Josh?"

"What about Josh?" Beckett asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I mean, isn't this..." he motioned to the two of them. "Cheating?"

"Castle, I'm going to let you in on a little secret," Beckett said, crooking her finger to bring him closer.

"What?"

"The second Josh is in town, I'm breaking up with him for good," she said. "We're already 'on a break' or whatever the hell that means, but when he gets back here, I'm breaking up with him for good. I would have done it already but breaking up over the phone...not my style," she kissed his cheek softly.

"So, doesn't this make me your rebound?" Castle asked.

Beckett sighed and placed her hands on his cheeks. "You, Richard Alexander Rodgers, could never be a rebound. You're just too..." she paused and let a smile creep over her face, "ruggedly handsome."

Castle chuckled and took her hand. "Let's go back inside before everyone notices we're gone," he said.

Beckett gave him one final kiss before she let him lead her back to her friends.

Way too early the next morning, Beckett's cell phone was ringing. She groaned and covered her head with her pillow as she groped for the phone in the dark. "Hullo?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Lanie's voice was too loud for Beckett, who held the phone away from her face.

"Tell you what, Lanie?"

"You know very well what!" Lanie squealed. "Have you seen the paper today?"

"I'm asleep!"

"Get to the precinct. I want to see your face for this," Lanie said, and hung up. Beckett groaned and rolled out of bed, dropping her phone on the floor. Twenty minutes later she was stomping into the precinct, looking left and right for Lanie. Castle was walking into the elevator and held it for her as she grumpily came in to work.

"You're here early," he said, handing her a coffee.

"Lanie said there's something in the paper I need to look at," Beckett said, taking a sip. "Thanks," she added, holding up the cup.

He nodded and tilted his head. "In the paper?"

"Mhmm."

The elevator dinged, and Beckett spotted Esposito, Ryan, and Lanie all standing by her desk. When they spotted her, they all put their hands on their hips and glared.

"Look at you two, coming in at the same time with coffee, how cute," Lanie cooed, holding the paper in her hand. "That will make this even better."

She threw the paper onto the desk, face up. Emblazoned across the front were the words "It's Official," the a picture of Castle and Beckett kissing outside the fundraiser.

"New York's favorite mystery writer finally seals the deal with New York's finest?" Castle read aloud. "Really? Does second base even count as sealing the deal?"

"Shut up, Castle," Beckett growled. She buried her head in her hands and tried to cool her heated cheeks.

"Come on," Lanie prodded her. "You should have told me."

Esposito and Ryan were doing the same thing to Castle, who was handling it a lot better than Beckett was.

"Second base, huh?" they nudged Castle, who looked up at Beckett, her face flaming red.

"You know, we just got caught up in the moment, it uh...it," Beckett turned toward Lanie and Castle leaned in close "It was the greatest moment of my life, unparalleled."

"It was amazing, Lanie," Beckett was saying. "Greatest kisser I've ever had. And he was so sweet."

"What about Dr. Motorcycle Boy?" Lanie asked. "Break's over?"

"Kate?"

Castle turned around first, and Josh was already on his way to Beckett. He had a copy of the paper in his hand. "What the hell is this?" he asked.

"That is a paper, Josh," Beckett said frostily. Castle raised his eyebrow. "Usually, they are delivered daily, and they hold the news, along with comics, sports, and obituaries. Don't tell me you came back from Haiti just to ask me what a newspaper was."

"The picture, Kate, the goddamn picture. Is that or is that not you kissing Castle?"

Beckett pretended to study the picture. "Well, it sure looks like it, huh?"

Josh wrenched the paper away and threw it. "What the hell were you thinking?"

Beckett shook her head. "Josh, you really don't want to know what I was thinking."

"I think I do."

"For the sake of your dignity, you don't want to know," she insisted. "Besides, it's not like it matters. You and I are on a break, remember? You have no claim here." She held her arms out, indicating herself.

"If you even want this to work, Kate –"

"But I don't, Josh. I don't want this to work. I don't think I ever did. I figured that since you were gone so much it would be like I didn't even really have a boyfriend at all. And now, I don't. It's over, Josh, and it has been over. You know that." She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You have always known it would come to this."

He pulled his shoulder away from her and turned to Castle. "Did you take advantage of her?" he asked angrily. Castle actually laughed, throwing his head back.

"Do you actually think I could take advantage of her? She would kick my ass!" he pointed to the gun holstered comfortably at Beckett's side. "She could take advantage of me, though," he waggled his eyebrows at Beckett, who snickered. Josh reared back and swung his fist at Castle, who caught it on the jaw.

Beckett leaped into action and slammed Josh's head into the desk, cuffing his hands before he could react. She passed him off to Esposito, who escorted him off the premises, and gave Castle a tender kiss on his bruised jaw.

"My hero," Castle smiled, putting an arm around her waist.


End file.
